


living with the ghost of you

by xTarmanderx



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Haunted by a ghost, House Theo, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2021-01-13 04:27:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21238154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xTarmanderx/pseuds/xTarmanderx
Summary: When Theo steps out of the shower and finds a ghost waiting for him, he’s less than impressed.





	living with the ghost of you

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from Darling Parade song called “Ghost.”

The first time Theo sees him, he’s getting out of the shower. He wipes his hand across the mirror to clear away the fog and brown eyes are peering over his shoulder. “You know,” the voice says, “I never pegged you for a tattoo kind of guy.” Theo nearly jumps out of his skin as he whirls around, eyes zeroing in on the dead teenager standing in front of him. 

“Josh?” He croaks in disbelief. “You...you’re fucking dead-”

“No thanks to you,” Josh snorts. 

“I’m dreaming-”

“Nope. ‘Fraid not, champ.” Josh flashes sharp teeth at him and the hair stands on the back of Theo’s neck. “You’re not imagining me. Or, maybe you are. Maybe I’m just a fucked up image that you conjured up. Dunno why you’d be thinking of me though. Unless this is the start of some freaky wet dream of yours.”

“Not a chance in hell.” Theo growls. 

“Heh. I’ve seen your hell. Not a fun time, is it?” Josh arcs an eyebrow.

“What are you doing here? Don’t you have better things to do? Like staying six feet under?” Theo asks, unwrapping the towel from around his waist.

“You got jokes. Cute.” Josh rolls his eyes. “I really don’t want to see your junk right now.”

“So don’t look,” Theo says. Chuckling under his breath, he turns back toward his mirror. “What are you doing here?” He repeats. Despite his calm demeanor, his heart is pounding in his chest. Is this going to be like Tara all over again? Is the dead chimera here to haunt him and seek his revenge?

“Beats me.” Josh says, stepping closer to him. Theo’s breath catches as the other boy approaches behind him. He can’t feel anything but a slight chill in the air. “I’m just as surprised as you are. Mostly because you can finally fucking see me-”

“Finally?” Theo asks, glancing up. He holds Josh’s gaze in the mirror.

“I’ve been here a long time, Theo. Since you decided to get rid of me.” Josh says. The lights flicker and he’s gone a moment later, leaving Theo on his own. 

“Josh?” He calls out, turning around. “This isn’t funny. Where did you go?” He growls, flashing his wolf eyes. Only silence answers.

-

The second time Josh shows up, Theo’s eating his morning cereal at the kitchen table. He starts as Josh materializes across from him, looking irritated. “What crawled up your ass and died?” He asks, bringing another spoonful to his mouth. It’s been three weeks since his last encounter with the ghost of the chimera. He’d almost convinced himself that he’d imagined the whole thing. Almost. 

“I don’t want to be here any more than you want me here.” Josh snaps, his eyes glowing purple. 

“Then why don’t you move on or whatever it is that ghosts do?” Theo asks.

“I’ve been tied to you since the day I died.” Josh says, leaning forward. “It’s taken this long just to be seen. Do you know how boring this last year and a half has been? You don’t do shit. And when you do, you’re only hanging out with Liam.”

“At least I’m still alive.” Theo says, lifting his bowl and drinking the milk from it. When he lowers it, Josh’s fangs are out and his eyes are glowing again. “You mad?” He asks, lips quirking at the corners.

“You’re the goddamn reason I’m like this.”

“I put you back the way that I found you.” Theo reminds, crossing his arms over his chest. He leans back in his chair, considering the chimera across from him. Josh had always been promising. The mishap with the mask had been a result of Theo’s own pride and fear getting in the way. Add in a dash of Deucalion’s manipulation and he’d taken Josh’s life all too easily. 

“You ever regret it?” Josh asks, his voice going quiet. Before Theo can open his mouth to answer, the lights flicker and the other boy is gone. 

-

The appearances are more and more frequent after that. Theo’s taken to ignoring Josh when he shows up and the fallen chimera doesn’t even try to speak to him. Sometimes they just sit on his couch and Theo falls asleep watching a movie. When he wakes, Josh is gone. Theo tries not to let it get under his skin. He starts spending more and more time doing research on ghosts, enlisting the help of Mason and Corey when they have a free minute. He doesn’t tell Liam. 

One afternoon, Theo unlocks his apartment and finds that Josh isn’t alone anymore. The ghost of a taller boy is leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest while Josh is sitting at his feet. He opens his mouth to address the new spectre, but the blond boy points toward the couch. Liam is sitting on it, head buried in his hands. The stench of sorrow chokes Theo as he approaches, cautiously sitting down beside the beta. 

“What’s wrong?” He asks softly. 

“My nightmares have been getting worse.” Liam says, looking up at him with red rimmed eyes. “My mom thinks I need to see a doctor. But I can’t.” His lower lip quivers. “I’ve started losing control again. I don’t know what’s happening to me.” Theo resists the urge to look over his shoulder at the new spectre, but it’s a damn near thing. 

“What are your nightmares about?” He asks. Liam sucks in a shuddering breath and shakes his head. 

“I-I don’t really wanna talk about it. Can I just stay here tonight? Please?” Liam whispers. 

“What?” The request throws Theo for a loop. But when he looks at those tearful blue eyes, he’s powerless to say no. “You sure?” He asks, swallowing hard. 

“I told my mom I was staying with Mason. He’s covering for me. I just need some peace. And I...I feel safe here. I thought it might help.” Liam says, lip quivering. “I can go-“

“It’s fine. I don’t mind.” Theo says, scratching the back of his neck. “Why don’t you go lay down while I make dinner? Put on your headphones and just relax.” It will mask the sound of Theo attempting to strangle two ghosts. He’s not sure what he can do, but he’s pretty sure he’s read that salt and iron can do some damage. Or maybe it came from a tv show he’s been watching. 

“I could help with dinner.” Liam offers. Theo shakes his hand, lightly squeezing his knee. 

“Go lay down. It won’t take long.” He promises. The beta slips out from under his hand and shuffles toward the bedroom, head hanging low. Theo waits until he can hear the music from Liam’s headphones before he gets up from the couch. “You have three minutes to explain before I start to get testy,” he warns as he heads for the kitchen. 

“It’s my fault.” The other ghost says. 

“Brett didn’t do shit.” Josh snaps. 

“I’m getting annoyed.” Theo replies, rolling up his sleeves as he approaches the sink. He runs the tap, washing his hands quickly under lukewarm water. 

“He’s tied to Liam. Same as I’m tied to you.” Josh says. He hops up on the counter beside Theo a moment later, tapping his fingers against his thighs. 

“And Liam can’t see him?” Theo asks, a muscle in his jaw twitching. 

“No.” Brett says from behind him. “Apparently you can. Why is that?”

“I figured Josh was just haunting me for kicks. I don’t know why I can see you.” Theo says, glancing over his shoulder. “If I remember correctly, Liam didn’t do shit to you. Weren’t you the asshole from the zoo? The lacrosse captain that got him beat up? If you’re here for his forgiveness, you’d better hold your breath.”

“I don’t need him to forgive me. That’s not why I’m stuck here.” Brett sighs. “Liam blames himself for my death. I can’t find peace because he is punishing himself for something that he didn’t do.”

“How you do know why you’re stuck here? Josh doesn’t.” Theo says, turning and squinting at the dead chimera. Murderous purple eyes gleam back at him, rows of fangs showing. 

“That’s between you and him.” Brett says quietly. “I need your help. Liam’s having nightmares about my death. About...about letting everyone down because he believes he’s a monster. I need you to help him stop blaming himself so I can finally move on. Please. Being trapped here...I can’t take it.”

“Why? What’s so bad about being stuck on Earth?” Theo asks, crossing his arms over his chest and turning to face him. 

“I want to see my sister again. My parents.” Brett says softly. “I can hear them calling out to me. Always searching. I just want to be with them again. Is that so much to ask?”

“And you’re sure that Liam’s guilt is what’s keeping you here?” Theo asks, pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn’t ask to be some fucking ghost whisperer. 

“It’s the only thing that makes sense. I didn’t have any unfinished business or any of that crap. It’s why I’m stuck to Liam’s side, it has to be.” Brett looks at him sadly. “Please. Just help him get past my death. Even if you don’t do it for me. I can’t listen to him cry anymore. He’s barely sleeping.”

“What’s in it for you?” Theo glances at Josh. 

“Nothing.” Josh says, shrugging. “Not the reason I’m stuck here.” 

“Theo-“ Brett starts, but he disappears before he can finish his sentence. Josh is dead silent, but he’s still taking up residence on the kitchen counter. 

“What happens when you disappear?” Theo asks when he can’t take the silence any longer. Josh shakes his head, drawing his knees up to his chest and tucking them under his chin. 

“I don’t know. I can never remember.”

“Nothing?” Theo asks, staring in disbelief. 

“Sometimes...I think I remember pain. And screams. I can taste blood on my tongue. I think maybe I’d rather have stayed dead than become this ghost. But I can never really hold onto what’s happening. It slips through my fingers when I’m here.”

“Doesn’t sound fun.”

“I’m fucking terrified of it.” The lights flicker and Josh is gone once again.

-

The next week is challenging. Liam is there every night, sleeping until he wakes in tears. Theo’s been by his side each time, cradling the beta until he goes back to sleep. Liam doesn’t talk about his nightmares. Not at first, at least. But on the eighth night that his scribes wake Theo, he finally speaks. “It’s all my fault,” he whispers. From the corner of the room, Brett looks up in anguish and Josh cautiously lifts his head. 

“What’s your fault?” Theo asks, as if he doesn’t know the answer. Liam always whispers names and pleas in the throes of his nightmares. 

“Brett and Lori. Aaron. Gabe.” Liam ticks off, his voice quivering. 

“Hunters killed three of them. Aaron wasn’t anyone’s fault.” Theo says, stroking a hand down Liam’s back. “Why do you blame yourself?”

“I’m the one who fucked up. I was the wolf Monroe was looking for.” Liam sniffles against his shoulder. “She killed him-“

“Because she was a hunter. She would have found him eventually. If she hadn’t, Brett would have still died like the rest of Satomi’s pack.” Theo sighs. “You weren’t driving the car that hit him. You didn’t know that there was danger waiting at the other end of that ladder.”

“I could have done more-“

“What more? You found a werewolf who didn’t want to be found. You reunited him with his sister. He didn’t die alone.” Theo says bluntly. “You did everything you could.” He casts a glance at the corner of the room. “I know you’re filled with regret, Liam, but you have to let this go. Let him go.”

“Please,” Brett whispers hoarsely. 

“It’s okay to remember him and honor his memory. But you’re clinging to him out of guilt. You have to let go of that.” Theo says softly. Liam takes a shuddering breath and nods, looking up at him with glassy blue eyes. 

“Do you think he forgives me?” Liam whispers. 

“If he were here right now, he’d want you to be happy and know that he’s okay and he’s with his family again. He’d want you to forgive yourself.” Theo replies. From across the room, Brett begins to glow. 

“Thank you,” he breathes out before he disappears. Theo casts his gaze toward Josh, reflecting back on their second conversation. Regret is what had tied Brett to Liam. If the same were true…

“I do regret killing you.” Theo says at last, lowering his gaze. “I thought it didn’t bother me. I thought that I was used to losing people and that you were just another unfortunate bystander. I was wrong.” He continues. “Josh, I’m sorry. I can’t take back what I did to you. But you can rest now. You can be at peace.”

“You finally figured it out.” Josh smiles thinly. He’s gone a moment later, filled with the same light that had encased Brett. 

“Who were you talking to?” Liam asks, frowning up at him. 

“Just the ghosts of my past. It was time to lay them to rest.” Theo says, leaning down and kissing the corner of his lips. Liam nods and they lay back down, holding each other. It’s not long before they’re back to sleep, this time dreaming in peace. 


End file.
